The iPad 3 is no longer available to buy. Apple has released an updated version on the iPad, here's a link to our iPad 4 review.

PC Advisor's new iPad review is based on several days of benchmarked, lab-based testing of Apple's third-generation iPad, as well as the subjective opinions of editors. It's the only new iPad review you need.

When you invent the category and make the most desired product to define it, where do you go next? That's the question that Apple has answered simply enough with the third-generation iPad. The 'new iPad', or 'iPad 3'. See also iPhone 5 release date, specs and rumour round-up.

The new name is noteworthy. Just as Apple pulled the rug from below the feet of tech journals with the 'iPhone 5 launch' last autumn – which materialised as the iPhone 4S – so the much heralded ‘iPad 3' was unveiled with an unexpected name: the iPad.

This is certainly in keeping with Apple's avoidance of the techno-jargon names so beloved, for example, of Japanese corporations. The purveyors of consumer electronics that routinely inflict sadistic tongue-twisters such as KDL32CX523BU on innocent tech-loving civilians. So like the iMac before, that has seen dozens of updates in 15 years with nary a change of name, so we may be witnessing a new vogue of serial mono-naming for iPad.

New iPad review: Retina display

In outward form, there's little to distinguish the new iPad from last year's sequel, the iPad 2. The new 2012 iPad model is fractionally thicker, up from 8.8mm to 9.5mm by our measurements. And if you're used to handling the '2, you'll probably notice the extra weight too. This has risen from 601g to about 660g. We say about, as there are a few grammes difference between different storage capacities and Wi-Fi-only models versus those with 4G chipsets. Whichever model you look at, there's effectively two extra ounces to balance across your fingers.

The added mass is principally a byproduct of the new screen tech. Apple has uprated the new iPad screen's resolution fourfold, from the long-popular 1024 x 768 of PCs, to the HD-punishing resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. While the display shows everything the same size as before, each element now has four pixels in place of one.

The result is breathtakingly sharp typography and cunningly crisp images. Anyone who is familiar with the iPhone 4 and 4S will recognise the effect of the so-called Retina display. Writ large across a 9.7in rather than 3.5in phone touchscreen, the upgrade in image quality is quite extraordinary on the new iPad.

Behind this screen, quite literally, is a revised display technology. It's believed to be a form of the Super High Aperture (SHA) process that allows incredibly tight packing of the thin-film transistors that comprise a display matrix. Apple as ever is tight-lipped about the minutiae of internal technologies, but we believe the first raft of new iPads are taking Samsung-made screens, with LG and Sharp mooted to contribute as production is ramped up.

The irony of Apple's Korean arch-enemy supplying Cupertino with the very component that will push the iPad to a new level beyond the Android copycats is difficult to miss.

Squeezing four times as many pixels into the same 9.7in display gives a density of 264ppi. That's lower than the iPhone's 326ppi, but when viewed on a new iPad at a typical reading distance (Apple quotes 15in, which we confirmed is our comfort zone) the Retina effect is restored. Mind you, we've peered closer, much closer, and still can't see any individual pixels. Viewing most content on-screen, it's like looking at a glossy magazine, not a computer screen.

New iPad review: bigger battery

To achieve this effect has taken bleeding-edge screen tech, more LED backlighting, and bigger batteries to drive it all.

Which is why the battery has been expanded by 70%, from 25Wh to 42.5Wh, to maintain Apple's class-leading battery life. The company quotes 10 hour lifespan again. For the iPad 2, we'd suggest that figure was slightly conservative, but maybe one that's closer to the case for the power-hungrier third-gen iPad.

Battery testing mobile devices remains an inexact science with too many variables to replicate a ‘typical' usage pattern. In three days of testing, we had to charge the unit twice, where an iPad 2 may have lasted on a single charge. But our usage of the new iPad was perhaps far from average – in essence caning the device with near-constant use.

Extra horsepower from the revised quad-core graphics processor has been funnelled into maintaining the iPad 2’s top-notch graphics performance when tasked with driving four times as many pixels. An improved rear camera is not universally essential, and nor is an uprated modem for next-gen cellular services that are unavailable in most parts of the world. But just a short time using the iPad with its entrancing Retina display gives ample reason alone to consider an upgrade, even if you have an iPad 2. Once you’ve tried a third-gen iPad, iPad 2’s text looks plain blurry. For a newcoming tablet buyer, Apple has just handed you, at an unassailable price, the device that unequivocally retains the iPad at the zenith of tablet computing.

For the first time ever Apple announced two iPads in one go, the iPad mini and iPad 4 or iPad with Retina display. If you want to know the difference between the iPads then you’ve come to the right place so here’s our iPad mini vs iPad 4 comparison review.

Just seven months after Apple launched the iPad 3, comes iPad 4 (or iPad with Retina display as Apple calls it). What's the difference between the two? We take a closer look at how the new model, with its faster processor and Lightning connector stacks up against the third-generation iPad. Here is our iPad 3 vs iPad 4 comparison review.

Now that Apple has launched an updated iPad mini, which one is the better deal? Should you save money and buy the old model or stump up the extra cash for the new iPad mini Retina? Find out in our comparison review.

Apple discontinued the iPad 3 because it replaced it with the iPad 4. However, you can still pick it up second hand or refurbished so we've compared it to the still available iPad 2. Here's our iPad 2 vs iPad 3 comparison review.

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Comments

Cognag05 said: New ipad sux bigtime Thicker easy to get hot no sd card slot cant turn the dam pad into external storage not to mention the apple gateway iTunes which many people says its hassle free well pretty much not worth the money owned it and hate it a lot still prefer android and waiting on windows 8 tablets

skolot said: Biggest mistake was to buy iPad3 I previously had ASUS Transformer and was forced to purchased iPad for work What apieceof crap device is pretty and this is only good thing about it EVERYforumstates that iPad is brilliant BUT its impossible to load books in format I wan and order I want upload videos for work is another mission impossible Upload photos from camera I had to buy another device since micro USBdoesntexists for iCrap App Store is another story most of software moreexpensivethan Play Store trybeforeyou buy hardly exists and if it does free version is absolutely uselessAdvice if people want to look alternative buy iPadIf you want to have device that works buy any good quality Android

Tdk International said: whoever makes a tablet with all the function availability of a computerlaptop will rule the roost I love the ipad but hate apple for all the restrictions they put on usps ipad3 is very heavy

Trowbridge_boy said: I second their crap customer service

Philip Youdan said: Having brought the Ipad 3 the technology is what I wanted butcustomerservice from Apple IStore and customer service is crap It ask questions that go beyond border control and are not relevant All I wanted was to download and sinc with home computer not rocket science but no it will not let me and the apple rep from callcentersaid not had the problem before right Their online help is hopeless So buyers beware if Apple string this out long enough they can tell you to get lost after 30 days Their support period Would have helped if guide available but the web reference which came with product relates to earlier productsMaybe okif a techno nerd no offence but for real humans its a real let down - Come on Apple remember your customer base we are not all suckers

Ildefonso Jorge Da Costa said: ipad screen and thecommunityis good but i need the asus keyboard without it i will never get the ipad as i have ipod touch 4g perfect till the newbatterydrain thanks apple

Manov rao said: HD screen is simply superb

EM4AN said: As iPads become even more popular more and more users will want to access their Windows applications from them as well Ericom AccessToGo is a free RDP client that allows iPad users to connect to Windows applications and destops running on Terminal Server VDI and physical PCsIf you want to use your iPad to connect to graphics-intensive applications such as maps images PDFs and Flash movies you can speed up your remote RDP connection by using AccessToGo with Ericoms Blaze server a commercial not free productFor iPad users in the enterprise Ericom AccessToGo also provides an optional Secure Gateway component This Gateway enables external clients to securely connect to internal resources using AccessToGo without requiring a VPNFor more information about AccessToGo visithttpwwwericomcomiPad-iPhNote I work for Ericom

Jules said: its called business my friend and adding value for shareholders by making profits - 100b of cash reserves tells the story

jamesg99 said: The new screen is so much better than the iPad2 screen Ive uploaded some comparison photos here httpwww13amporgnewipad

Matt Egan said: Interesting point that is Apple still using Samsung to build the iPad screen when it is slagging off the Galaxy Tab in the presentation to launch the new iPad Or is as some rumours suggest Sharp now making the screens httpwwwpcadvisorcoukfea

Hoggleboggle said: Whether you love or loath apple these new Hi res screens in such small for factors from people like Asus apple and one would expect Samsung soon will finally push laptop makers into upgrading the displays from the dismal 1280x736 they stick in everything under 17 inches Btw does anyone know if the ipad3 had a dedicated upscaler like the xbox 360

Maccyroo said: It issuch apleasant surpriseto see Apple finally develop add new features and improve others in an effort to keep the ipad at the top of the tablet charts Far better than their previous efforts to keep the ipad at No 1 by submitting doctored images of competitors products to judges in an effort to ban possible competing products like the GalaxyTab The best tablet should be that with thefullest and most advanced feature setrather than being best by default by trying to unfairly get competitors products banned using spurious claims

Ian, Exeter said: I have an Asus Transformer and im happy with it I once had an iPad2 but returned it to Apple after a week iOS freezing apps were not running smoothly i got a 399 refund Apple never again

Anthony O'Brien said: Ipad ios is a fantastic solution for those that dont like to fiddle with technology For me I chose Android because of much less restrictions

Olivier Zanchetta said: I was aware of that which is why I said it might be a company spreading FUD hehe But one likes to hear what one likes to hear I was really enthused by a French study stating that having 2 glasses of wine a day kept the doctor and heart disease away even when I found out that the study was heavily funded by the wine industry Another study confirming the results came fromyou guessed it California the 2nd largest producer of wine worldwide There is a lot of money at stake nowadays in Tech and I am sure we will see a lot of sniping in the next 3-4 years until the market settles down It will be interesting to see who is in that spaceWill we have a late come-back from Microsoft Whatever happens the consumers should be the winners especially in pricing as when you think of it 399 is amazing and manufacturers of other tablets are finding it difficult to keep up

Andrew Harrison said: Hi Oliver thanks for the post I hadnt heard that story about iOS crashing more than Android And a story I believe it to be based on my own experience and that of friends and colleagues of the two platformsIn short I find iPad and iPhone apps generally rock solid while in my experience testing Android phones and tablets I find apps regularly crashing or freezingMost important question would you trust a study that showed Android to be better than iOS from a company thats just received 12m in funding from Google and the co-founder of Android Inchttptechcrunchcom201107

Olivier Zanchetta said: errr sorry that is according to Apple and has not yet been proved by benchmarking We have to be careful of the powerful marketing machine that is Apple They state that iOS is more stable than fragmented Android for exemple but tests have shown that iOS apps crash more than Androids - httpmashablecom20120204 again this could be part of FUD against Apple LOLAnyway the iPad 3 is not at all a disappointment and is a viable solution for people looking for a tablet It is very well priced when you think of all the technology in it the market place is well stocked up especially their offering for tablet format they have achieved retina display and it is very good for beginners and intermediate users in so far that the Operating System can be taken up even by people who are technically impaired Apple also has an especially good QampA philosophyI personnally do not have a tablet as I cannot see the use for it but market is maturing If I were to have a tablet I would not like to be restricted in my use as it happens with Apple products I like to see myself as an advanced user and my wifes Transformer Prime seems more than adequate for this especially since they released the bootloader There are just so many more things one can do with an Android product that you just cannot do with iOS

Sbmbosaso said: I am using Samsung tab and it is almost replacing my laptop As long as IPAD is confined to its present platform it is not go area for me

Smart home- or wearable tech: which is more likely to benefit your digital life this year?

I'm more likely to buy smart home- than wearable tech this yearI'm more likely to buy wearable- than smart home tech this yearI'll probably buy both smart home- and wearable tech this yearI'm unlikely to buy smart home- or wearable tech this yearNot sure/don't know